PokéHearts: New Beginnings
by Aoi Hyoudou
Summary: Remake to the original. Ash's life is turn upside down when his world is consumed by the Heartless. Now he must embark on a new adventure where he will come across new foes, new enemies, new worlds, and a troublesome past. Takes place after the Kalos arc and a little after Kingdom Hearts Dream Distance Drop. AshXAqua. SoraXKairi. AshHarem. (UP FOR ADOPTION!)
1. 0 - The Dream

**Aoi Hyoudou:** First things first: Remake FTW! Hopefully, it will be a big improvement from the original due to a lot of changes had to be made in order for it to work. With that being said, enjoy this short prologue to the series. ***Spoiler alert*** It's connected to Ash's past.

* * *

 **0**

 **The Dream**

* * *

 _It's never easy to accept reality._

 _ **A funeral.**_

 _The same, cruel existence, which was once bestowed with promising hopes and wondrous dreams._

 _ **Gravestones.**_

A ray _of light shattered by the unbearable darkness._

 _ **Storm of strangers.**_

 _Two broken souls swallowed by the sea of sorrow._

 _ **One boy.**_

 _ **One girl.**_

 _Together they fall, together they…_

 _ **The girl weeps.**_

 _Tears of anguish erupt in the glooming, grey sky._

 _ **The boy remains strong.**_

 _On this tragic day, the boy and the girl lost their parents to what man calls…reality._

 _"Those poor children…," a short, elderly woman in black said with an aching heart, watching the little four year old girl with red hair collapse with grief._

 _"And so young…," added a bearded man in black with a red scarf. "But we must remember that their hearts will only grow strong as long as they are full of light." He stared at the five year old boy with messy black hair staring blankly at the gravestones._

 _"What do you propose we should do?"_

 _"The only thing we can do…watch quietly over them as they step forward into the future."_

 _The old woman and the man agreed in silence._

 _The little girl continued to cry as her older brother struggled to keep his composure, but kept a good grip around her hand for comfort._

 _They are alone, but…they still have each other._

 _He had to be strong for her, to give her some kind of hope to keep on living._

 _"Kairi."_

 _His little sister continued to cry._

 _"I know you're sad. I'm sad, too. Mom…and Dad are gone, but you need to be strong. I need to be strong for you."_

 _"But, but…" She choked between tears._

 _"I know the world is scary. I'm scared, too, but if we have each other, there's nothing to worry about, right?"_

 _The tears stopped as the little girl slowly glanced up at her big brother with wet tears still sliding down from her cheeks. "You really mean it?"_

 _"Of course!" He grinned. "You're my little sister and I'm your big brother. I have to take care of you like mom and dad said."_

 _"Big…brother."_

 _"I promise we'll always be together and I'll protect you from bad things."_

 _"You really promise?"_

 _"Of course! A big brother never lies to his little sister. I love you, Kairi."_

 _The little girl took his words to heart and smiled. "I love you too, A-"_

 **"Honey, wake up! Breakfast is ready!"** a familiar voice suddenly shouted.

A pair of auburn eyes immediately opened as Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town jolted straight up from his bed, covered in cold sweat. He clutched his forehead as he could feel his heart pounding rapidly thanks to the unexpected awakening from his mother who was calling out to him from downstairs. It took a moment for the sixteen year old to finally calm down and relax, allowing his heartbeat to return to normal. When he was sure that he was safe and sound in his room, he slowly fell back to his pillow and pressed his right forearm against his forehead, staring upright at the ceiling with a dazed expression on his face.

' _That dream again…_ _'_ He briefly shut his eyes and exhaled a tired sigh.

It was the fifth time this week he had that strange dream.

He couldn't explain why it was haunting him.

He didn't have this problem before until…he came home from his journey after competing in the Kalos League, taking second place and parting ways from Clemont, Bonnie, and Serena.

It was almost like a part of him had finally awakened from its s-

"Ash!" his mother shouted again.

"I'll be down in a minute, mom!"

Jeez!

Mothers these days…

* * *

 **A/N: Well, there you have it! A brief** **preview what to expect later down the road. Also, care to guess who were those two adults in the dream? I'm sure it's obvious. Next up, Ash's getting a…Keyblade?!**

 **P.S. – Give the proofreading and editing credit to my beta-reader,** _Vandenbz_ **.**

 **Aoi Hyoudou** (formerly known as Johan07)


	2. I - Ray of Hope

**Aoi Hyoudou:** I'm on fire now! Kidding aside, I see that most of you already liked the prologue and have high hopes for the remake. Well, get ready for the actual first chapter. You will notice some differences from the original right off the bat. Enjoy!

* * *

 **I**

 **Ray of Hope**

* * *

' _What was that dream all about?'_ a fully dressed Pokémon Trainer pondered as he sat at the dinner table with his right elbow leaning on the table, his face resting in his opened palm.

Delia was humming a catchy tune while washing the dishes until she paused briefly and peeked around her shoulder, noticing her boy was spacing out and hardly touching his pancakes that she'd prepared for him.

"Ash?" She had a concerned look on her face.

Her son didn't hear her as he was preoccupied with his own thoughts.

' _Why do I keep having that dream?'_

"Ash, honey."

' _Who was that little girl?'_

"Ash!"

' _Why does she look so-so familiar?'_

"Ash!"

' _It's almost if…I actually knew h-…'_

"ASH!" Delia screamed her lungs out just to get her baby boy to snap out from his trail of thought and turn his head in her direction.

"Mom, what's the matter?" He blinked. "And what's with all the shouting?" he asked dumbly.

She let out an exasperated sigh.

Parenting was such a headache.

The young mother casually approached the table and took a seat across from her child, studying his facial expression and body language very closely. As of late, he hasn't been himself ever since he came home from Kalos. She could only wonder if he was still upset losing to Alain in the finals and taking home second place. Or perhaps, he was depressed that he had to go separate ways from Serena, Bonnie, and Clemont so soon. From what Professor Sycamore had told her, they became quite attached like a family.

Whatever is troubling him, she'll get to the bottom of it.

It's her duty as a loving parent to do so.

"Ash, sweetie, is there something bothering you?" she finally asked.

"What?" Ash blinked.

"You haven't been yourself since you came home and it's only been a week." She pressed on. "I'm starting to get worried that you haven't gotten over your-"

Her son chuckled lightly, causing her to pause. "I'm fine, mom, and no…it's not about losing to Alain either." He smirked at her reaction.

"Then what's troubling you?"

He sighed. "Just stuff," he said lamely.

"What kind of stuff?"

"Strange and complicated ones."

"And they are?"

"Mom..." Ash sighed in annoyance.

"Honey, I just want to know what's going on with my baby boy so please talk to me," the young mother said gently with pleading eyes.

"Fine…," her son groaned in defeat.

Delia smiled.

Ash took a brief moment to gather his thoughts before focusing all his attention on his mother. "Do I have a little sister?" he asked.

A pregnant silence engulfed the kitchen.

Delia looked surprised with widened eyes.

Ash raised an eyebrow in suspicion at his mother. There was something off about her. Sure, his question was unexpected, but she reacted really peculiar, suggesting that she might know something.

Unfortunately, however, he couldn't capitalize on the golden opportunity when she quickly recovered and broke into a giggle. "Ash, don't be silly. You don't have a sister." she exclaimed, sounding almost genuine.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course, sweetie, would I ever lie to you?"

Now that his mother mentioned it, has she?

Ash sighed again.

"Why do you ask?" inquired the young mother with interest.

"Well-" Ash hesitated momentarily, unsure how to explain without sounding a bit weird. "-I have been having these strange dreams lately."

"Strange dreams?" His mother repeated slowly, blinking in confusion.

He nodded slowly. "About a little girl with red hair."

Delia's eyes widened again. _'Oh, no! Don't tell me his memories-…'_ She immediately shrugged off the feeling and smiled forcefully. "They're just dreams, sweetie."

"I know, but…"

Delia chewed her bottom lip, feeling guilty of hiding the truth, but she must do whatever it takes to keep it a secret a little bit longer until the moment is right.

"Ash, listen to me, there's not-" Suddenly, she felt a cold chill running down her spine as the temperature dropped drastically.

Ash could feel it, too!

Something was coming.

At the corner of their eyes, hundreds upon thousands of beady yellow eyes were gazing at them. Ash and his mother stood up quickly from their seats, knocking their chairs over to the floor. "What's going on here?!" Panic lingered in the teen's tone of voice.

"They finally found us!" Delia cried.

"What do you say, mom?" Ash stared at his mother, hoping for answers, but didn't get any.

The sea of black masses began to take on a shape, sprouting a round head, short legs, sharp claws, and long antennas. The young Pokémon Trainer and his mother soon found themselves surrounded by strange creatures.

"What are these things? Pokémon?"

The monsters hissed malevolently.

"Don't come any closer!" Ash shouted.

The creatures paid no heed to the Trainer's warning as they advanced closer.

Ash immediately reached for his belt, but quickly remembered that Pikachu and all of his Pokémon were at Professor Oak's lab for a little R&R. He gritted his teeth in frustration. What bad timing!

"Aaaah!" Ash instantly looked forward when he heard his mother scream to see one of the monsters was lunging at her.

"Mom!" He dashed towards her direction.

Delia froze with utmost fear until her boy stopped right in front of her and pushed her back in the nick of time, causing her to stumble backwards. She could only watch in complete horror as her son cried out in agony, feeling the monster's claws sinking deeply into his arm. "Ash!"

Fighting through the excruciating pain, the young Trainer gathered every ounce of his strength to knock the creature back.

If he thought his trouble was over, he was wrong.

The next thing he heard was a loud scream that shattered his heart.

"Aaaah!" It came from his mother.

Ash immediately glanced back and noticed his mother was engulfed by black masses, slowly sinking into the floor.

"Mom!" He stepped forward only to fall flat on his face when he felt something was grabbing his leg. He glanced back around his shoulder and noticed several creatures were holding him down. "Get off of me!" He did everything he could to shake them off, but they wouldn't let go. "Mom!" The young Trainer glanced back at his mother.

"Ash!" She fixed her attention in his direction and extended her hand out.

He did the same.

Ash and Delia tried to reach for each other, but no matter how much tried, they were so far apart.

The young mother knew their time was up as her arm slumped to the side.

Her son froze.

Delia gave her boy one last smile and said weakly with tears forming in her eyes, "Honey, no matter what happens…I want you to know that I will…always love you."

Ash shook his head in denial as he could feel tears running down from his eyes. "No, mom, no..."

"I'm sorry." That was her last words before she sunk into the abyss, never to be heard again.

Ash's arm slumped to the floor, crushed by the loss of his mother.

 _ **Don't lose hope…**_

A distinct, female voice entered the teen's head, snapping him out from his slump.

 _ **You must be strong…**_

Ash felt something warm rising within his right grip.

 _ **The light will find a way…**_

It began to emit a bright light, which not only drew his attention, but the creatures' as well.

 _ **The closer you get to the light…**_

The light became brighter and brighter, blinding the little monsters as something amazing was happening.

It began to take on a form, expanding in length and shaping slowly into a key-like weapon. When the light faded, the Pokémon Trainer was taken aback by the gorgeous blade within his grasp. It was blue and white with two white angel wings for a hand-guard. Its shaft held two hearts and the teeth of the blade was ornately designed into the kanji for 'hikari'. A key-chain with a blue and white star that resembled a charm was attached to the pommel.

"What is this?" the teen whispered.

 _ **You are chosen by the Keyblade.**_

"Key…blade?" Ash repeated slowly, clearly baffled.

 _ **You hold the mightiest weapon of all.**_

He felt a new surge of light coursing within his body.

Almost as though it was reassuring him that everything was going to be alright.

His hand gripped the hand-guard tightly as he instinctively swung the mysterious blade around. It quickly eliminated the creatures that held onto his leg as they vaporized into black particles. He quickly jumped up to his feet and shifted into a defensive stance, eying at the remaining enemies as they hissed venomously at him.

 _ **Don't be afraid…I'm right here.**_

The teen gripped the weapon with both hands and glared back.

"Alright, who's next?!" he shouted.

The swarm lunged at him from all directions.

 _ **We are connected…**_

The last thing Ash saw was…complete darkness.

* * *

 **A/N: Talk about an intense chapter…O.o. And well, well, well…it seems Ash managed to gain the Keyblade without first completing a trial, which was unexpected. Was it the mysterious voice's bidding? Speaking of that voice, care to guess? Next up, Ash encounters…who?**


	3. II - Aqua

**Aoi Hyoudou:** The idea of Ash not doing a Keyblade trial right off the bat is to give the story a much better, faster pace than the original. For those who keep asking about Ash's Pokémon and if any of them will eventually show up in the story, I already said no summons. But, depending how the story goes, we shall see. No promises. With that being said, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

 **II**

 **Aqua**

* * *

"AGH!" Ash awoke with a shout. Gazing about in a panic, he stood within a pitch-black void. A quick glance around immediately told him that he was no longer in Pallet Town. Taking a deep, calming breath, the black haired teen stepped forward only to gasp as the ground beneath him shattered into a cascade of pure white doves and revealed him to be standing upon a circular, stained-glass pillar.

Furrowing his brow, Ash was completely shocked to find himself staring at a mosaic image of his childhood friend, Serena sporting her the outfit she'd worn during their travels in the Kalos region. The honey haired girl had her arms behind her back and her right eye shut with her tongue poking out, strongly implying that she was doing a cute pose.

' _S-Serena…_ _?'_

Within small circles above the girl were other former, female traveling companions.

An older girl with orange hair tied in a ponytail.

A young brunette with her long hair secured by a red and white kerchief.

Another young girl with blue hair, wearing a white beanie with a pink PokéBall print on it.

And finally…a dark tanned girl with purple hair, which was unusually long.

' _Misty, May, Dawn, Iris?'_

Shaking his head in complete confusion, Ash once again gazed into the endless black void that surrounded the pillar. "Where am I…?"

"That's a very good question," a vaguely familiar voice answered and caused the teen to let out a startled yelp. Ash immediately spun around to see a blue haired girl standing across from him. "But, let's just say…it's a little hard to explain."

Ash could only eye her suspiciously. "What do you mean by that?" he demanded. "Who are you? Where am I? And what the heck is going on here?!"

The mysterious woman raised a hand, prompting him to sigh and run an aggravated hand through his hair. When he finally relaxed, the bluenette smiled. "My name is Aqua," she said. "As for your other questions…like I said, it's a little hard to explain."

"Well, I'm not exactly going anywhere," the teen said with a frown, folding his arms together and gesturing to the endless darkness surrounding them.

Aqua giggled in response.

"True, true," she said with a small smile. "Let's see here-" She cupped her chin and pondered for a brief moment. "-How about we start at the beginning."

"That's a very good place to start."

Aqua glared at the teen. "Quiet, you!" However, she awarded him with another smile. "Your body is currently asleep." she stated.

"Asleep…?" Ash repeated slowly, furrowing his brow at her. "So…I'm dreaming then? None of this is real and you're just a figment of my imagination? I'll wake up in my room and everything will be back to normal?"

Though he intended it to be a small joke, it came out as a desperate plea.

His hopes were quickly dashed, however, when Aqua shook her head.

"Just because you're dreaming doesn't make this any less real," she said solemnly. "This place you see here-" She gestured to the platform. "-is your heart. Or a representation of it, if you will."

"My…heart?" the raven haired teen murmured, his brow furrowing. "But then…Wait a minute!" Something came to mind. "Your voice…I recognize it! You were the voice I heard before."

Aqua giggled in response.

"Guilty as charged," she said. "I was the one who encouraged you not to lose hope."

"Um, thanks?"

"However-" The bluenette folded her arms against her chest and cupped her chin, shifting her gaze downward. "-I was supposed to guide you through your Awakening, but somehow you skipped it." Her lips twisted into a small smile. "Impressive."

"My Awakening?"

Aqua unfolded her arms and returned her attention back to the Pokémon Trainer. "It's a trial that all Keyblade wielders must complete in order to unlock their true potential." she explained.

"Keyblade..." Ash murmured. Shifting his gaze downward, he tried to remember the sensation of summoning the strange weapon. His efforts were rewarded when the familiar Keyblade appeared in his hand in a flash of light.

"Such a beautiful Keyblade," Aqua said with awe.

"I guess I'm lucky to have it." Ash replied sheepishly.

The young woman shook her head. "It's not luck." she told him solemnly. "It's whether or not you're worthy to wield it." She smiled. "By the looks of, you are. Honestly, I expected no less from the Chosen One."

"How do you know about that?" he demanded, raising a brow at her as he dismissed his Keyblade.

"I was told by a stranger wearing a black coat." she explained. "In fact, he was the one who told me to contact you and showed me how to do it."

"And did he give you a name?" the young teen asked with interest.

"Unfortunately, no," the bluenette admitted truthfully before shaking her head with a tired sigh.

"Great…," Ash muttered, releasing a sigh of his own. "Just great..." His left hand ran through his hair in frustration until he felt his arm being constrained by something cold and metallic. "Huh?" He glanced to his left and noticed a light blue pauldron-like armor piece extending from his shoulder to mid-bicep.

"What the heck is this thing?!" he exclaimed with a surprised expression on his face, cocking his head in order to get a better look at the strange piece of armor.

"Ah, you noticed!" Aqua said with a smile.

Ash returned his focus back to the blue haired woman, waiting for some answers.

"Let's just say it's a little gift from me to you." she elaborated with a grin.

"Huh?!" The Pokémon Trainer blinked, clearly baffled.

"Try it out." She gestured to the armor in question. "Just tap your right fist into it." She demonstrated by moving her right fist over to her own pauldron and tapped it lightly without activating it. "Then concentrate the same way you do when summoning your Keyblade, but focus it directly into your shoulder piece."

"Okay…," Ash said uncertainly.

Taking a deep, relaxing breath, he complied with her request and slammed his fist into the pauldron. Suddenly, his vision was flooded by a white light, causing him to let out a startled yelp as he instinctively closed his eyes. When nothing adverse happened, the teen slowly opened his eyes to find himself staring through what appeared to be a visor of some sort.

"Whoa!" Ash mumbled, gazing about in amazement.

"Is it working properly?" Aqua asked. "I hope it's not too heavy. It's my first time making something like this."

"It actually feels…light," he admitted.

"Good," the bluenette said with a grin. "That armor is given to apprentices by their masters. It will protect you as you travel between worlds and allows you to breathe in space."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Ash held up a hand, which he noted was now encased in a light blue gauntlet. In fact, his entire body was clad in a matching set of armor. "Space? Worlds? What the heck are you talking about?!" he demanded.

"Ah, right," Aqua grimaced. "Now we get to the complicated stuff." She shook her head with a small sigh. "Ash…you remember those strange creatures you encountered, right?"

"How could I not?" he murmured dejectedly, gazing downward in sadness.

Those monsters took his mother away from him.

"They're what are known as Heartless," she explained, drawing the teen's attention back to her as she continued. "They are physical manifestations of people who have been taken by the darkness."

"Whaaat?!"

"They lack a body and soul."

"So, those Heartless…What were they after?"

"They were after _you_ , Ash." she stated grimly.

"M-Me?!" Ash nearly choked on his saliva as the armor encasing his body disappeared in a flash of light. "W-Why me?!"

"The Heartless fear the Keyblade," she explained. "They were after your heart. To eliminate you before you become a threat."

"They were after my…heart?" Ash repeated quietly. "So…everything that happened was because of me? Mom died because of me?!" The guilt crushed his spirit.

"Ash, you can't think like that," Aqua said sternly. "The Heartless are obsessed with devouring worlds and consuming the hearts of their people. They would have come eventually. Your presence merely sped up the process."

"But why?!" Ash asked hopelessly with tears forming in his eyes. His legs felt weak as he collapsed and sat down. "What's so special about me?!" His hands gripped firmly onto his pants. "What is the point of me having a Keyblade?!"

"The Keyblade chooses its wielder based on the strength of their heart," Aqua approached the teen and knelt down to his level, gently reaching out and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. She graced him with a small smile. "And from what I've seen, you have a very strong heart, Ash."

Ash met her gaze and smiled weakly in return. "Thanks," he murmured.

"Of course," she said sweetly.

They sat in silence.

No one said a word for several moments until the Pokémon Trainer finally broke the ice.

"Err…Aqua?" He spoke up somewhat awkwardly.

"Yes?"

"Y-You can let go now." She stared at him in confusion before realizing just how close the two of them were.

Squeaking with a red face, she leapt back as she stumbled to her feet. "S-Sorry," she said with a stutter, her cheeks steaming in embarrassment.

Ash merely nodded with his face equally red.

"S-So," He coughed. "T-The Keyblade?"

"Ah, y-yes!" Aqua cleared her throat and regained her composure. "He who wields the Keyblade is entrusted with the protection of all worlds. A guardian of the galaxy, if you will."

"So…I'm some kind of a galactic peacekeeper?" the Pokémon Trainer asked.

"I wouldn't exactly describe it like that, but…yes I suppose," Aqua said awkwardly. "However, you aren't really supposed to interfere too deeply in regards to the different worlds. Serve and protect, yes…But it's generally frowned upon to involve oneself with a world's laws and government..." She paused before adding under her breath. "Not that there's anyone to do the frowning anymore…"

"So, if I can't interfere, then what am I supposed to do exactly?"

Returning her attention to him, she explained. "Well, I'm not saying you _can't_ ," Aqua admitted. "The Keyblade's purpose is to maintain order and balance. Light cannot exist without darkness and vice versa. However, whenever someone threatens to overthrow that balance, action must be taken. If that means interfering with a world's governing body, then so be it."

"I see…" Ash mumbled. "So, how many worlds are there? Eight? Nine? Ten, maybe?"

"Hundreds."

"WWHHHHAAAAAT?!" Ash nearly choked on his saliva as he shouted.

"Calm down," Aqua giggled. "You're not alone. There are others who wield the Keyblade, you know."

"Really?"

Nodding, Aqua raised her right hand and in a flash of light materialized a gray Keyblade with a simple square hand-guard and teeth in the shape of an 'E'.

"Y-You?" Ash exclaimed, surprised. Something came to mind. "Wait...the armor you gave me…You said that it's only given to apprentices by their masters, so that means…" The bluenette brandished her Keyblade and gave him a mock salute.

"Master Aqua, at your service," she said, grinning at the stupefied expression on his face.

"Er, s-sorry for any disrespect, Master," the raven haired teen said nervously.

Aqua merely giggled in response.

"Just call me Aqua," she insisted. "I've always hated going by that title."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." She graced him with a sweet smile.

"Okay…," Ash said uncertainly. "So, Aqua..." Clearly, he had something on his mind. "If this is some kind of dream I'm having, where's my real body?"

"Well…" She crossed her arms and gazed up for a moment before returning her attention back to her 'apprentice'. "From what I've gathered so far, it's being transported as we speak." she stated.

"What?!" Ash quickly scrambled to his feet with a concerned look on his face.

"Don't worry," the bluenette reassured with a small smile. "While I don't know who they are, their presence doesn't seem to be hostile so you're in good hands."

"Wait, so it's not you?" he questioned, surprised. "Where are you anyway, Aqua? I'm assuming this isn't your physical body."

The Keyblade Master shook her head and smiled sadly. "I'm trapped in the Realm of Darkness."

"The…Realm of…Darkness?" Ash repeated slowly and blinked in confusion. "How did you get there? Why are you trapped?"

"I took my friend's place," she said simply. "My friend…He was falling into darkness, but instead of allowing that to happen, I chose to sacrifice myself to save him. Now I'm here."

"But…if there's a way in, there has to be a way out, right?"

"If there was one, I would've already found it," Aqua said with a wry smile. "I don't know how long I've been trapped here. It could be days. It could be months. It could even be years."

Ash merely stared at her for several moments before he finally spoke. "Aqua…?"

"Hmm?"

"I'll get you out," he declared with his eyes glinting in determination. "I'll save you no matter what!"

"Ash…" Aqua simply shook her head and it was clear that she didn't really believe that. Regardless, she smiled. "Thank you."

"I promise I will get you out, Aqua." He grinned.

The bluenette just kept smiling. "I'll be waiting." Suddenly, she noted that Ash's Station of Awakening was starting to fade and becoming a big blur. "It looks like our time is up."

"Huh?!" Ash gazed at the Keyblade Master confusedly.

"Your body's waking up," she elaborated.

"Wait, but what about you?" he asked.

"Like I said," Aqua smiled one last time as she walked up to him. "I'll be waiting. You have a long journey ahead of you." She reminded him.

"But, but…" The Pokémon Trainer was starting to enjoy her company.

Aqua reached into her small pouch at her side and retrieved a light blue, star-like charm. She gently took the teen's left hand and placed the charm in his grasp. "Here."

Ash gazed downward at the charm before glancing back up and staring into her lovely eyes. "Is this for me?"

She nodded. "If you ever feel lost…" Suddenly, everything began to grow hazy and her voice began to drift farther and farther away. "Just remember that we're connected," she said gently. "We'll see each other again soon."

"Aqua?" Her body faded and she disappeared. "Aqua!" He shouted desperately.

"I'll always be close by…Just don't forget…"

"AQUA!"

"We are connected."

* * *

 **A/N: Ash's encounter with Aqua was based off and inspired by** King of Plot Bunnies' **Aqua encounter from his story,** Pokémon: Keyblade Masters – Remastered Edition **, so give him some credit. Even though…he has been inactive for almost seven months now…Moving on, I hope you guys liked Ash's interaction with Aqua. They were so cute together, rekindling my love for them XD. And yes, Ash received a Wayfinder of his own from Aqua in order to stay contact with her whenever he drifts into deep sleep. Next up, Ash encounters a group of…familiar characters. Care to guess?**

 **P.S. – Give the proofreading and editing credit to my beta-reader,** _Vandenbz_ **.**

 **Aoi Hyoudou** (formerly known as Johan07)


	4. III - Mysterious Tower

**Aoi Hyoudou:** Just a revision post, NOT AN UPDATE!

* * *

 **III**

 **Mysterious Tower**

* * *

"AQUA!" Ash awoke with a shout as he sat up. Gazing about in a panic, he found himself in a guest room of some sorts. A quick glance around immediately told him that he was no longer 'dreaming'. Taking a deep, calming breath, he moved his left hand toward his face only to pause when he felt something 'familiar' in his grasp. He pulled his hand back and gazed at the Wayfinder that Aqua gave him. _'So, it wasn't a crazy dream, after all…_ _'_ A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. _'Aqua_ _…_ _'_

Suddenly, the room door creaked open and caused the teen to pocket the charm as he shifted his attention to the doorway. Three elderly women walked into the room. His eyes gazed upon their bizarre outfits, which consisted of a long sleeved dress, a conical hat with a chinstrap, and a cape, except in terms of color of red, blue, and green respectively. They had small, triangular wings sprouting from their backs, which didn't go unnoticed. _'W-Who are these people…_ _?'_

"Well, look who's awake, girls!" the lady in red said with a smile.

"Ooh, good heavens!" The lady in blue looked delighted with a smile of her own.

"We were worried sick about you, dear," the lady in green said.

They walked to his bedside.

"Who are you?" he demanded. "And where am I?"

"Ooh, where are our manners?" The lady in red chuckled. "My name is Flora."

"Fauna is my name, dear," the lady in green said.

"And…I'm Merryweather," the lady in blue mentioned sweetly.

"We live with Master Yen Sid and you're currently in his tower, dear." Flora informed.

"Yen…Sid…?" Ash repeated slowly and blinked confusedly. While he didn't know exactly who Yen Sid was, the name, however, sounded awfully familiar.

"That's right, Ash." The teen's eyes lit up in surprise.

"H-How do you know my name?" The good fairies smiled.

"Yen Sid told us all about you!" Flora exclaimed.

"Really?" Furrowing a brow, he kept staring at the fairies, waiting for more answers.

"Yes, it happened after we found you outside the tower unconscious." Merryweather stated.

"I see…" Ash mumbled. _'So, they were the ones Aqua was talking about…_ _'_ A small smile grew on his face. _'I_ _…suppose I can trust them…_ _'_

"So, how long have I been out for?" he queried.

The fairies exchanged a quick glance with one another before returning their attention to the young teen.

"Almost three days, dear," Flora spoke up.

"T-Three days…!?" Ash nearly choked on his saliva as he cried out.

"Your injuries were rough when we found you, Ash," Fauna explained.

"I-I see…"

"But now that you're up, it seems you have made a full recovery." Merryweather smiled.

"It appears that way," Ash said with a smile of his own.

Flora shifted her attention to Fauna. "Fauna, be a dear and inform Master Yen Sid that Ash is finally awake."

The fairy in green nodded. "Just leave it to me." She exited the room to tell their master about their young guest.

Several moments later, Fauna returned. "Yen Sid would like to see you, dear."

"M-Me?" Ash blinked in confusion.

Fauna nodded in response.

"O-Okay…"

What did their master want with him? Though…this could be a great opportunity for him to use this to his advantage and answer a few questions of his own while he was here. He climbed out of bed and headed for the door.

Ash pushed the door open and stepped through. The room he found himself in was rather spacious, with a breathtaking view of the stars just outside the windows behind the mahogany desk to the right. Sitting behind said desk was a wizened old man with a navy blue robe and a wizard's cap, both of which were adorned with star-like patterns. _'He must be…Yen Sid.'_ The man wasn't alone either.

There were three other guests.

The first of them was an older boy with short, silver hair and bright blue-green eyes. He wore a white vest with a large black collar, loose fitting jeans, and white high-tops.

A young-looking boy with spiky brown hair and blue eyes was the group's second member. He sported a black jumpsuit with a matching black and silver overcoat, baggy black pants, and large black and silver sneakers.

The last of the three was a young girl with long, auburn hair and blue eyes. She was clad in a pink strapless mini-dress with a white halter top, a black hood, and lilac sneakers.

While Ash didn't pay much attention to the other two, his eyes kept gazing at the auburn haired girl for reasons he didn't understand. _'That girl…_ _She kinda looks familiar_ _…_ _'_ For a split second, a transparent image of a little four year old girl with red hair took her place and caused his eyes to widen in surprise. _'W-What…_ _?'_

Shaking his head in complete confusion, he once more gazed back to the trio and noticed that they were giving him a look.

"Are you okay…? You look like something is bothering you," the spiky haired boy stated.

"It's nothing," Ash whispered quietly. He closed the door behind him and glanced back to the newcomers with a forced smile. "No need to worry."

The silver haired teen furrowed an eyebrow and gazed at him in suspicion. _'Something seems a little off about him…_ _'_

Even Yen Sid noticed Ash's strange behavior, but decided not to press the subject any further as he smiled. "Glad you could join us, Ashura."

"Please, sir, just Ash," the Pokémon Trainer said politely. Similar to how Aqua didn't like others calling her by her title he didn't like people referring to him by his actual birth name.

The old wizard nodded in understanding.

"Very well, Ash."

The auburn haired girl flinched, which didn't go unnoticed by her friends.

"Kairi?"

She shifted her attention to the spiky haired teen. "Are you okay?" he asked with a frown.

Shaking her head, she smiled. "I'm fine, Sora."

"Are you sure, Kairi?" The silver haired teen spoke up and caused his friend to glance at him. "You seemed troubled when you heard Ash's name." He pointed out.

Kairi pressed her lips together and giggled. "I'm fine, Riku. Stop worrying."

Riku and Sora exchanged a quick glance with one another before returning their attention back to their friend.

"Okay…if you say so…"

Kairi nodded happily.

When her friends turned away, she exhaled a soft sigh and returned her gaze back to Ash as he walked up to the group and joined their side under Yen Sid's request. _'Ash_ _…That name…Why does it sound so familiar…_ _?'_

* * *

 **Moments later…**

* * *

"I take it you have a few questions you would like to ask?" Yen Sid queried.

"Yes," Ash said with a nod.

The old wizard merely smiled, as though he'd expected as much. "Very well, but first, mind if you show us your Keyblade, Ash?" This immediately gained Sora and co.'s attention.

"You have a Keyblade?!"

Ash ignored them and stared at the old man in complete shock. "How did you know I have a Keyblade?"

Yen Sid raised a hand, prompting him to sigh and apologize for his rudeness. When he finally calmed down, the man smiled. "I know of many things and the Keyblade is one of them, Ash," he said cryptically.

"I-I see…"

"Now, if you please," the old wizard urged the teen to reveal his Keyblade.

Nodding, Ash extended his right hand out and concentrated. In a flash of light, the familiar Keyblade materialized, surprising both Riku and Sora.

' _Doesn't that Keyblade belong to Roxas?!'_ they thought with a stupefied expression on their faces.

"Ah, what a marvelous blade," Yen Sid said with a look of approval on his face. "The Keyblade has chosen a worthy wielder, indeed."

"Thanks," Ash said sheepishly as he noticed that Sora and his friends were gawking at him. "Err…what's up?"

"We didn't expect to encounter another Keyblade wielder so soon," Sora said with a grin.

"Another…Keyblade wielder…?" Ash repeated slowly and blinked confusedly. "Wait…you guys are Keyblade wielders too?"

Riku and Sora exchanged a quick glance and nodded before returning their attention back to their fellow Keyblade bearer.

"Yup!" Sora grinned.

"You're looking right at them," Riku said with a smirk.

Sora raised his right hand and in a flash of light materialized a silver Keyblade with a bright gold hand-guard and teeth in the form of a crown.

Riku followed suit and in a flash of darkness a dark purple Keyblade with a hand-guard sprouting an angelic and demonic wing and teeth in a form of another demonic wing appeared.

"Whoa!" Ash said in awe. _'I guess Aqua wasn't crazy when she said there are other Keyblade wielders.'_

"Ahem." Yen Sid cleared his throat, prompting Ash, Riku, and Sora to glance at him sheepishly.

"Sorry, Master Yen Sid," Sora said as the Keyblade wielders dismissed their Keyblades. "I guess we got a little sidetracked."

The old wizard simply waved it off and returned his gaze back to the raven haired teen. "Ash, there's another question I would like to ask."

"I'm listening."

"Who's your Keyblade Master?"

"Huh?" Ash blinked.

That was an unexpected and random question to ask.

"Err, why do you want to know about his master, Master Yen Sid?" Sora asked with a baffled expression on his face.

Riku might not show it, but he too was curious before gazing at Ash's familiar shoulder armor, which he had encountered several times before in the past. _'Now, I see…_ _'_ He smiled in realization.

"It's of the utmost importance," was all Yen Sid said.

He waited and stared patiently at Ash.

The Pokémon Trainer gazed downward momentarily before glancing back to the old wizard and nodded. "Aqua. Her name is Aqua," he answered truthfully.

Sora and his friends' eyes lit up in surprise.

"Wait! Isn't she that g-"

"My thoughts exactly," Riku abruptly cut his friend off before he could even say another word.

"I was thinking the same thing too," Kairi mumbled.

They'd met Aqua when they were little kids and she was supposedly one of the 'lost souls' they needed to rescue, according to Mickey and Yen Sid.

Satisfied, the sorcerer smiled. "Now I see why the Keyblade chose you."

"What do you mean? Ash asked.

"It was fate," Yen Said elaborated.

"Fate?"

The man nodded. "Fate has brought us together."

Ash sighed. None of this made any sense. If anything, it only led to more questions than answers.

Yen Sid noticed the teen's frustration and chuckled. "Patience, young Ash," he said with a wry smile. "I am certain you will come to understand in time."

"I hope so," The Keyblade wielder mumbled. He was silent for a moment before realizing it was his turn to ask questions. "Master Yen Sid?"

"Yes, Ash?"

The Pokémon Trainer paused and gathered his thoughts before glancing back to the old wizard. "When my world fell-"

The man held up a hand. "I know what you're thinking, Ash," he said grimly. "But I cannot tell you, for I do not know the answer."

"You have to know something! Anything is better than nothing!" Ash urged him pleadingly.

"I'm sorry, Ash."

The raven haired teen stared at the floor and chewed his bottom lip, clenching his fists in frustration.

"Hey, what's going on here?" Sora finally spoke up. "Did something happen to you, Ash?"

Ash glanced to the spiky haired teen and sighed. "You could say that…"

"It's about your world, isn't it?" Riku said abruptly, prompting everyone to glance in his direction. He could read the Pokémon Trainer like an open book. "It fell to the Heartless, didn't it?"

"Yeah…" Ash gazed downward sadly.

Sora and Kairi gasped before their eyes grew sympathetic. "We're sorry, Ash. We know what it's like. We lost our world before," Kairi said gently.

"Wait!" Ash gazed at the pair with a hopeful look on his face. "You said 'before', does that mean you got it back?"

Sora grinned. "We sure did," he said confidently. "It wasn't easy, but we got it back safe and sound."

' _Great! That means Mom can be saved!'_ Ash smiled with new determination in his eyes. "Alright! Just like you guys, I'll find a way to get my world back!" He grinned.

Sora and Kairi smiled.

Riku smirked in amusement.

"You have a perilous journey ahead of you. You'd do well to be prepared," Yen Sid said abruptly, prompting everyone to glance back in his direction.

"Journey?" The Pokémon Trainer blinked.

The sorcerer nodded in response.

"That's correct, young Ash," he stated solemnly.

"Wait! Master Yen Sid, if you're planning to send Ash on a journey, shouldn't we help him?" Sora asked.

Yen Sid shook his head. "No, Sora, it's best that you, Riku, and Kairi remain here and continue with your training."

"But…"

The old wizard smiled. "I know it's natural for you and your friends to help someone in their time of need. You'd done it before many times in your journey, but this is one journey that only Ash can complete."

"What do you mean?" Ash asked.

Yen Sid once more returned his attention to the raven haired teen. "Ash, the Keyblade chose you for a reason and it's up to you to discover what that reason is," he advised.

"I-I see…"

"And it is my belief that you have been tasked with finding those who are lost to us," he added.

"Lost…?" Ash furrowed his brow in confusion.

"One who is lost in darkness, one who has been consumed by darkness, and one who must have his heart returned to him," Yen Sid elaborated. "You must go to them, Ash. You might find the answer you are searching for."

The old wizard let the teen stew on those words as he turned to face Riku. "Riku, please take Sora and Kairi with you and continue with your training. There are a few more things I wish to discuss with Ash before he departs on his journey."

Riku nodded in understanding. "Leave it to me." He walked up to Sora and grabbed his left wrist, dragging his friend toward the door.

"Hey! Riku! What are you doing?!" Sora tried to pull away, but Riku maintained a good grip.

"You heard the Master, Sora," the silver haired teen said without looking at the stubborn teen. "We need to keep training."

"But I want to stay!" The spiky haired teen whined childishly.

Riku rolled his eyes and yanked his friend's wrist once more.

"Ow! Stop pulling!"

"I will once you stop acting like a big baby, Sora!"

The two boys stepped through the door and exited the room.

Kairi shook her head before sighing at her friends' childish antics. Those two would never change. She was about to follow after them before she paused at the doorway with something on her mind. "Um, Ash?" She glanced back and called out to the Pokémon Trainer.

"Hmm?" Snapping out from his trail of thought, Ash shifted his attention and glanced in her direction.

"I-I know we just met, but…just be careful out there, okay?"

Ash blinked and smiled. "Don't worry, I will. You take care of yourself as well and good luck with your training."

Kairi smiled in return. "Thank you."

When the young girl exited the room and shut the door behind her, Ash returned his attention back to Yen Sid.

"Before we begin, there's something I want you to know, Ash," he said solemnly.

"Oh, what is it, Master Yen Sid?"

The man paused for several moments before continuing. "This isn't the first time we have met."

"Wait, what?!" Ash said in alarm.

"We met when you were a little boy, Ash," he stated.

"Is that so…" The Keyblade wielder mumbled and sighed.

The sorcerer noticed the teen's confusion and smiled. "It's understandable if you don't remember. Your true memories haven't yet been awakened." he told him.

"My…true memories?" Ash repeated slowly.

Yen Sid nodded in response.

"That's correct, young Ash," he said with composure. "Your memories were sealed away for a reason, but you will come to understand why in time."

"O-Okay…"

"Otherwise, you would have known that you made contact with the Keyblade when you were five."

"W-WWHHHAAAATTTT?!" Ash yelled.

Yen Sid held up a hand, prompting the teen to calm down and allow him to finish. When the Keyblade wielder took a deep, calming breath and relaxed, the man smiled. "I can only assume there's a story behind this extraordinary feat, but we will save it for another time."

Ash slumped over in exasperation upon hearing this.

"For now, we must focus our attention to your journey."

He had a good point.

With a wave of his hand, two strange orbs materialized and floated before the Keyblade wielder. One was green and the other was red. "Take these," the sorcerer advised.

Nodding, Ash extended his right hand out and touched the green orb. A flash of green light engulfed his body as a surge of energy coursed through his veins.

 **Ash learned Cura!**

Blinking and shaking his head, he extended his right hand out again and touched the red orb. A flash of red light accompanied a burning sensation coursing through his fingertips.

 **Ash learned Fira!**

"On your journey you will find several more orbs similar to the ones I gave you," Yen Sid said abruptly, drawing the teen's attention back to him. "Each one will grant you the ability to learn a new skill so be aware of your surroundings when visiting a new world."

Ash nodded with a smile. "I will and thank you, Master Yen Sid."

The old wizard smiled in return. "But be warned," His smile suddenly shifted into a solemn frown. "Your journey will be long and difficult. You will encounter new enemies and the Heartless so best be on your guard."

Ash nodded again.

"May your heart be your guiding key," he said.

The Keyblade wielder's eyes widened in surprise.

' _W-Why…does that sound so familiar?'_

Shaking his head, Ash grinned. "I really appreciate all your help, Master Yen Sid."

His journey was set.

Now, all that's left was…his ride.

* * *

 **A/N: THIS IS NOT AN UPDATE! IT'S JUST A REPOST OF A REVISION FOR CHAPTER 4! Although I would like to let you know that I'm on spring break and that I'm currently working on updates for PokeHearts: New Beginnings & Aura Guardian of Beacon: Resurgence. Keep a close eye out for them around next week! The chapter for PokeHearts is almost done!**

 **P.S. – Give the proofreading and editing credit to my beta-reader,** _Vandenbz_ **.**

 **Aoi Hyoudou** (formerly known as Johan07)


	5. IV - Radiant Garden

**Aoi Hyoudou:** UPDATED VERSION!

* * *

 **IV**

 **Radiant Garden**

* * *

 **Space.**

It's really, really, really big and spacey - just like in the books. The stars were shining so bright, Ash couldn't help but compare them to Christmas lights. The galaxy itself was so empty and quiet, filled with many wonders. It was quite a sight.

Ash couldn't believe he was actually in space. It felt like a dream – a child's dream, to be more precise. But here he was – traveling on his glider bike – in his Keyblade armor – through space – in order to protect the worlds from darkness and find the "lost souls" before another great war broke out. What a magical experience. If his friends and family were here with him they would've enjoyed the scenery too. But thanks to the Heartless such an idea was nothing more than a mere dream.

What a shame...

* * *

 **A few hours ago…**

* * *

"Master Yen Sid, how am I supposed to travel to other worlds?" Ash asked.

"I can only assume that Aqua forgot to tell you something important before she left."

Ash nodded and sighed.

Yen Sid noticed the teen's frustration and chuckled. "Do not fret, young Ash, I have the answer you seek-" he said with a wry smile. "I am certain it is one of which that doesn't require the need of a Gummi Ship."

"A…Gummi-what?" the Keyblade wielder said confusedly, blinking at the strange name.

The sorcerer proceeded with his explanation. "When an apprentice receives their Keyblade armor from their Keyblade Master, their Keyblade is also bestowed with a new ability."

"A new…ability?" Ash repeated slowly.

Yen Sid nodded in response.

"Summon your Oathkeeper," he instructed solemnly.

"Oathkeeper?" The raven haired teen blinked.

"It's the name of your Keyblade," he elaborated.

"Oh."

Taking a deep breath, Ash complied and raised his right hand. In a flash of light his Keyblade materialized. Attached to the hand-guard was a Keychain token in the form of a blue and white star, his Wayfinder.

"Now I want you to focus your aura into the Keyblade and toss it into the air."

"My aura?" Ash glanced down at his Keyblade, a growing concern lingering in the back of his mind. "I think that's easier said than done, but I'll give it a shot." He glanced back up and grinned.

Yen Sid observed closely with a smile on his face as the young Keyblade wielder tried to focus his aura into the Oathkeeper, but failed miserably on a number of counts. Moments later, the man's eyes widened when he noticed the teen instinctively placing his left hand over his heart and closing his eyes, muttering something softly that caught his immediate attention.

"May my heart be my guiding key…"

' _Wait_ _…Don't tell me he's-'_

Ash opened his auburn eyes and tossed his Keyblade into the air, a bright light engulfing it before it descended towards the teen in the form of a blue and white glider bike, still maintaining the Oathkeeper's features.

"Whoa!" Ash closely examined his new ride, simply amazed at how cool it looked. "What is this?" He couldn't help but ask.

Yen Sid simply cracked a small smile. "It's a Keyblade Glider. It will provide you the necessary means to travel through space and other worlds."

"That's cool." Ash grinned.

"May I offer a suggestion, Ash?"

"Sure, what is it?" Yen Sid's unexpected request immediately piqued the teen's interest.

"Head to Radiant Garden."

"Radiant…Garden…?" The Keyblade wielder repeated slowly.

Yen Sid nodded.

"You may not remember it, but you were born there."

"W-WWHHHAAAATTTT?!" Ash nearly choked on his saliva as he cried out.

* * *

' _Radiant Garden, huh_ _…_ _'_ A lot was on his mind after learning his true birthplace from Yen Sid. The Pokémon Trainer had always believed he was born and raised in Pallet Town because of his mother. But thanks to the revelation provided by Yen Sid, he didn't know what to believe anymore. Several questions bounced around his head as he traveled through space on his glider bike, but he couldn't allow them to distract him now, especially when he had far more important matters to worry about.

Heh.

Easier said than done.

 _Beep, beep, beeeeeeep! Beep, beep, beeeeeeep! Beep, beep, beeeeeeep!_

"Hm?" Snapping out from his trail of thought, his unique visor – equipped with a high-tech scanner – was detecting a nearby planet in his vicinity. The Keyblade wielder noticed that something was coming into view when he looked straight ahead. It was a world with a town sitting on top of it and a castle that overlooked the town. According to the data that his visor was displaying, he had reached Radiant Garden.

Gripping the glider's controls firmly, Ash pressed his foot on the accelerator, causing the thrusters to gain momentum as he headed towards his destination.

* * *

Rocks. Rocks. And more rocks. Ash found himself standing in the middle of some kind of valley, surrounded by countless cliffs and rock formations. Cautiously examining his new surroundings, his visor analyzed and gathered data about the area. Obviously, he had missed his primary landing spot if he ended up in some area called The Great Maw. He could see the town and the massive castle in the distance. By air, it would only take him a few minutes to reach his destination.

But...there was a concern that kept him from doing so. Ash didn't know if the townsfolk were friendly or hostile toward outsiders like him. If he had arrived in town on his glider bike, it would definitely draw unnecessary attention to him and probably cause a huge commotion. His best bet was to travel on foot. While it wasn't the most ideal plan, it was the best to prevent suspicion.

When his Keyblade armor reverted back into its original form after he touched his left shoulder pauldron, he began to walk forward only to stop short when something in the corner of his eye caught his attention. "Hm?" The raven haired teen glanced to the right and noted two lone gravestones in the distance, surrounded by a patch of dead flowers. He walked over and approached the gravestones, crouching down and plucking a dead flower from the ground. The flower immediately withered away into dust. The Pokémon Trainer fixed his gaze on the tombstones, not bothered that neither one had a name carved into them. In fact, he couldn't explain why, but he felt even more disgusted the more he stared at them.

Ash stood up with both fists clenched as he gritted his teeth and gazed downward at his feet, mumbling something quietly under his breath.

Unbeknownst to the Keyblade wielder, a mysterious figure in a black coat was standing behind him, observing him with interest.

Feeling that he was being watched, Ash instinctively spun around only to find no one there. He cautiously looked back and forth to make sure nothing was out of the ordinary until he heaved a sigh and placed a hand on his forehead. All of this was just too much. Perhaps he should leave before something weird happened to him again.

As he proceeded to take his leave, he paused momentarily and glanced back at the gravestones with a small frown on his face before shrugging off the feeling and walking forward without a second glance.

The same figure from a moment ago was now standing on top of the cliff. Under the hood, a small smirk tugged against the figure's lips. "His memories are starting to come back to him." There was a dramatic pause. "Good."

* * *

Ash finally arrived at his destination as he walked into town and discovered that the city was in the middle of reconstruction. Several homes and buildings were receiving upgrades, new shops and facilities were being built, and a water fountain was being constructed in the center of the Marketplace that he had stumbled upon. The atmosphere was soothing, but there was something about the town he couldn't quite put his finger on. It seemed awfully familiar, almost as if he had been here before. But that was ridiculous! And yet…he knew his way around like an expert without the need of a map.

As the young Keyblade bearer was passing through to gather some information about the town, he noted that several bystanders were mumbling something that he couldn't make out. He also noticed a few girls giggling as he strolled by, which puzzled him greatly. If things weren't bizarre enough, a couple walked up to him and offered their respect by bowing their heads before heading off to who knows where.

' _What was all that about?'_ A baffled Ash blinked, staring at the departing pair. A soft sigh escaped his lips as he turned away and looked forward once more only to come face-to-face with a grinning girl leaning her face towards his. "AAAHHH!" He stumbled backwards, putting some distance between them before noticing that the girl was giggling at his expense.

"Easy there, I don't bite," she said jokingly.

Ash quickly recovered his composure and stared at the mysterious girl. She had short, black hair with violet eyes. He could see that she was wearing a black headband with white lining around her head, an unzipped, dark grey combat vest with a black strap dangling from the right pocket over a navy blue tank top with white floral designs a white wristband on her right wrist, and a grey, fingerless glove on her left arm. Her shorts were slightly darker and had another black strap dangling from the left side. Lastly, she sported black, over-the-knee socks with white stripes at the top underneath dark tan sneaker boots that were knee-high in length.

"W-Who are you?!" he finally asked, narrowing his auburn eyes at the girl suspiciously.

"Wow." She sounded a bit offended. "I can't believe you don't remember." Ash furrowed his brow. "But I guess I can't blame you either." A soft sigh escaped her lips. "Your memories haven't yet restored you to your true self."

"My…true self?" Ash repeated slowly, unsure how to respond to that.

"Yup!"

"…"

"To refresh that little brain of yours," Ash frowned at her playful jab. "I'm the Great Ninja Yuffie!" she exclaimed proudly with a grin.

' _Ninja?'_ The Keyblade wielder blinked. He'd met with several ninjas in the past during his Pokémon journey, but this one took the cake. Yuffie wasn't exactly a shining example of ninja material, but who could say she wasn't?

"I must say-" Yuffie's voice drew the Keyblade wielder's attention right back to her as he noticed that she had folded her arms against her chest with her right hand cupping her chin in thought. "-I would've never thought in a million of years you would grow up to be such a cutie." She shifted her gaze and stared at the raven haired teen with a smile on her face. "While Sora's way cuter, I would pick you any day of the week over his dorkiness."

"Huh?!"

"Don't worry about it," Yuffie said dismissively. She walked past the baffled teen, causing him to glance over his shoulder and notice that she was already walking towards the entrance that led to the Borough. She paused momentarily and offered another smile when she turned away and faced the Keyblade wielder. "Leon and the others would love to see you again. They're at Merlin's. Come on! It's this way!" She sprinted off.

"Wait up!" Ash cried out as he chased after the ninja girl.

* * *

"Okay… ***pant*** …Where is she?" Ash took a moment to catch his breath after chasing Yuffie only to lose sight of her upon entering the Borough. He studied his new surroundings very closely, looking to his right and then to his left for any sign of the girl. "Boy, for a ninja…she runs pretty quick."

"HHeeeyy~!" a familiar voice called out. His ears perked up as he shifted his eyes over in the direction of the voice where he noticed Yuffie was waving her hand up high in the distance with a chirpy smile on her face. "Over here!" Giving the teen no chance to respond, she sprinted around the corner.

Ash immediately sprinted down the path, hoping he won't lose sight of her this time around. When he made the sharp turn around the corner, he skidded halt after spotting a decent-looking house with a giant wooden door. _'Is this the_ _place?'_ he wondered as he advanced forward with caution while keeping his eyes open for any sign of Yuffie. When he approached the door, he hesitated for a moment, believing that he was trespassing on someone's property without their permission. However, something told him that he was welcome to come inside without any regrets.

And so he did.

* * *

When Ash first entered, the first thing he noticed was three people standing around a computer and one leaning against a wall.

The first individual was a male with short, brown hair and blue eyes. He bore a distinctive scar, which ran diagonally across the bridge of his nose. He wore black gloves, black, zipper-lined shoes, a silver Griever necklace, and a white undershirt. His black, short-sleeved jacket sported red wings on the back and a red Griever symbol on each shoulder. He also wore three brown belts on his left forearm and three buckles on his right thigh while three black belts were present on his left thigh. His black pants featured a vertical zipper going down the side of each leg. In addition, he wore two brown belts and two black ones around his hips, all of which were quite loose except for one, a black one worn properly around his waist.

The one individual occupying the seat in front of the computer was also male with short, blond hair and blue eyes. He sported a pair of goggles around his head and a necklace with a rectangular charm. He also wore a white T-shirt, blue baggy pants, and black shoes. He had a toothpick in his mouth, implying that he was gnawing on it for stress reasons.

The woman standing next to the blond man was quite attractive. She had long, brown hair which was braided down to her back and green eyes. She wore a carmine pink and white top held up by a string that wrapped around her neck. Underneath the top, she also wore a pink dress with a horizontal white stripe near the bottom. Her footwear was a pair of brown boots.

The final member was a male with short, spiky red hair, said spikes being styled upright. His attire was a black coat. He was the one who was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and both eyes shut. Sensing that they had a visitor, he opened his bluish green eyes and shifted his gaze at the doorway towards said guest.

His eyes widened with a soft gasp escaping his lips. _'It can't be…He-He looks just like-'_

Yuffie appeared out of nowhere and grinned at the Keyblade wielder.

"Glad you could join us!" she greeted cheerfully, obviously thrilled that the teen was here.

"AAAHHH!" Ash yelped loudly as he stumbled backwards yet again, clearly he didn't expect the ninja girl to greet him like that.

The loud shout alerted the three adults as they diverted their attention away from the computer over to their unexpected guest. Their eyes lit up in surprise when they spotted the raven-haired teen.

Ash's body tensed up at their constant staring, a worried feeling lingering in the back of his mind.

What happened next, he didn't expect.

Yuffie's friends greeted him with open arms, almost as if they hadn't seen him for many years.

"Welcome home! We missed you!" The brunette smiled, clapping her hands together.

Ash raised an eyebrow at the woman. _'Welcome home?'_ So, Yen Sid wasn't lying after all when he told him that he was originally from Radiant Garden.

"Well, ain't you a sight for sore eyes?" The blonde haired man smirked, wiping a thumb against his chin.

"Can't believe it's been over ten years since we last saw you," said the brown haired man, a genuine smile tugged against the corner of his lips. "What kept you?" he asked with a hint of amusement in his tone of voice.

Ash simply blinked at the trio with a confused expression plastered on his face. While he couldn't figure out who these people were, their faces seemed awfully familiar, almost as if he had seen them somewhere before.

Yuffie came to his aid and explained the current situation to the group. "Guys, he doesn't remember us. I should know since I already tried."

"Is that true?" the brunette asked quietly as she stared back at the young teen with sad eyes. "You really don't remember us?"

Ash shook his head and answered slowly, "Should…I?"

"I see," The scarred male's lips descended into a deep frown as he crossed his arms and cupped his chin in thought. "His memories haven't yet been fully restored." The blonde haired man agreed.

"Looks like it," he said, gnawing on the toothpick in his mouth.

"We could try reintroducing ourselves. That could jog his memory a little." the brunette suggested.

The brown haired man thought it over for a moment and agreed. "That actually doesn't sound like a bad idea, Aerith." Aerith smiled.

"Then leave it to me!" Yuffie exclaimed with a huge grin on her face.

"We don't need some dumb ninja brat to screw this up. Let Aerith take care of it!" the blonde-haired man spat.

Yuffie turned away from her friends and faced the Keyblade wielder, obviously ignoring the old blonde. "Alright, Ash-" She ignored the teen when he flinched after she addressed him by his name. "-Let me introduce you to the Radiant Garden Restoration Committee. That's Aerith." She gestured her hand to the brunette who waved with a bright smile on her face. "The old fart is Cid." She lazily introduced the blonde man.

"Who are you calling an old fart you damn ninja b-"

"And that's Squall." Yuffie ignored Cid once again and gestured to the brown-haired man.

"It's Leon." He corrected with a death glare.

The Pokémon Trainer took a moment and allowed the information to be processed before he smiled. _'They seem…nice enough.'_ "It's nice meeting you all." He grinned.

The Restoration Committee smiled.

Then they shared a quick glance with one another and nodded.

Cid stood up from his seat.

Ash observed very closely as Leon, Aerith, and Cid suddenly dropped to a knee. _'W-What are they doing?'_ They placed their right hands over their hearts and bowed their heads respectfully at him. Out of the corner of his eye, Yuffie was mimicking her friends, which was starting to get weird. "W-What…are you guys doing?!" he panicked, not sure what was going on.

"It's simple." Leon answered calmly without lifting his head. "We're showing our respect."

"To you, Ash." Aerith added with a smile.

"Even though it's so damn degrading to my character," Cid grumbled, earning a playful smack to his shoulder from Aerith.

"But, why?!" Ash still didn't understand why they were doing this.

"It's because you're a prince," said a new voice.

The Keyblade wielder flinched. _'A prince? M-Me?!'_ They had to be pulling his leg. Did they even look at him? He wasn't exactly a shining example of prince material.

Turning his head to the source of the voice, he fixed his gaze on the redheaded man who in return glanced back without shifting a muscle in his composure. The pair spent the next few moments just staring at one another, waiting for the first person to break the ice between them. If Ash didn't know any better, he could've sworn he had seen the latter's face in the past somewhere.

"But you're not just any ordinary prince-" The man spoke up again, drawing the Keyblade wielder's attention once more. "Noo…you're Radiant Garden's "prized" treasure: the Prince of Hearts." There was a hint of sarcasm when he emphasized the word "prized" in the sentence.

' _Prince of…Hearts?'_ Ash blinked in confusion.

Why did that title sound familiar?

"And that's Lea..." A frustrated sigh escaped Yuffie's lips, causing Ash to glance back at the ninja girl who was back on her feet with an annoyed look on her face. "That guy knows when to spoil a big surprise."

"You know I can hear you, right? I'm not deaf." The former Nobody shot her a glare.

"Anyway-" Yuffie ignored Lea and continued, "-What he said was true, Ash." She smiled. "You're a prince. A very special one."

"I see." Ash cupped his chin in thought, processing the information. _'I guess that explains why they know me so well.'_

Suddenly, a puff of grey smoke magically appeared and brought Ash back to reality. The smoke quickly disappeared and standing before him was an elderly man in a blue wizard robe with a blue pointy hat, long white beard, and tiny little glasses.

"Oh! I thought it was you. Right on time!" he said with relief.

"Merlin!" Aerith greeted the old wizard with a sweet smile. "What brings you here?"

"Why, lass, I'm here on an important matter to speak with our young prince." Merlin fixed his gaze on the young teen.

"Me?!" Ash blinked.

"That's right, lad." he stated with a chuckle. "Master Yen Sid has informed me that you need to go on a dangerous journey to save Aqua, Terra, and Ventus, yes?"

"You know Aqua?" Ash asked in shock.

"That I do, my boy." He smiled. "And her friends too, but that's not important right now. What's truly important is preparing you for your journey."

"Which is?"

Merlin smiled. "How familiar are you with magic?"

"Umm…"

"We should get started then, Your Highness."

* * *

 **A/N: THIS IS NOTHING MORE THAN A REVISION THAT I KEEP FORGETTING TO POST! As for an actual update, starting next week I'll start writing a chapter for Aura Guardian of Beacon: Resurgence. Due to high demands and popularity, I'll work on it first before going back to PokéHearts. Keep your eyes out for it! Enjoy your summer break!**

 **P.S. – Give the proofreading and editing credit to my beta-reader,** _Vandenbz_ **.**

 **Aoi Hyoudou** (formerly known as Johan07)


	6. V - A Bond Between Master & Student

**Aoi Hyoudou:** I'm not dead! Well…not now, that is… Also, this is just a revision that I forgot to post months back until now!

* * *

 **V**

 **A Bond Between Master And Student**

* * *

"Well…this looks…awfully familiar," Ash murmured as he suddenly found himself standing atop his Station of Awakening. He surveyed his surroundings, but found no one else. "Aqua, are you here? Helloooo?"

Suddenly, he sensed danger coming and he instinctively leapt to the right just as a dark gray Keyblade struck the ground where he'd been standing just moments prior. "What the heck?!"

"Not bad," Aqua's voice immediately drew Ash's attention as he turned his head in her direction. "Not bad at all," She had a satisfied grin on her face, very impressed with her student's agility.

"What are you doing, Aqua?!" he demanded. "Are you trying to kill me?!"

"Training," She simply stated as her face became serious and she brandished her Keyblade once more. "Draw your Keyblade, Ash."

"Now?" he whined. "But I wanted to…" Her glare intensified. "…Warm up first."

"The Heartless won't wait for you to do that," Aqua said with an annoyed huff. She tightened her grip on her Keyblade. "I'm not going to say this again, Ash. Draw. Your. Keyblade!"

Ash yelped as he noticed Aqua sprinting towards him.

' _Why must all girls I know have to be so bossy?!'_ His final thought before he engaged Aqua in an intense training session.

* * *

 **Moments later**

* * *

"You did pretty well," Aqua praised with a bright smile. "Your instincts and technical skills are well honed. You just need to work on your magic, strength, and endurance. And who knows? In a few years, I might have to call you 'Master'." she joked.

Ash, meanwhile, was flat on his back, covered in battle scars and drenched in cold sweat while murmuring hysterically about his master being a 'demon' in disguise.

"Oh, quit being a big baby," Aqua giggled. "It wasn't that bad."

"Yes, it was…" Her student had to beg to differ.

"If it makes you feel any better, when you wake up, your body will be as good as new."

"Then why train?" he groaned.

"It's my job to make sure that you don't slack off," she said proudly.

"You demon!"

"What was that?!" Aqua shot the teen a glare and he immediately gulped.

"Nothing!"

"Just for that, it's time for round two. I hope you're ready, Ash." She flashed an evil smirk.

"NNNOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Once Aqua was satisfied thrashing the poor teen into submission, she spared a few moments of her time talking to her student. "Say, Ash?"

"Yes, Aqua?"

"You don't have to push yourself," she said quietly.

"Huh?" Ash stared at the bluenette with a baffled expression.

Aqua sighed. "Do you remember when we first met?" He nodded. "And when you promised me that you would save me from the Realm of Darkness?" He nodded again. "I think it's best you should-"

"Not a chance!" Ash abruptly interrupted the Keyblade Master before she could even finish her sentence.

"!" Aqua looked surprised.

"I know what you're going to say and you can stop right there."

"Ash…"

"A promise is a promise. I'm going to save you and your friends no matter what."

"My…friends?" Aqua repeated in surprise. "You're going…to save them, too?"

"That's right!" Ash grinned.

"How?"

"If there's a will, there's a way."

"W-What?"

"Just trust me, Aqua. When this is all over, you and your friends will be set free from the darkness. I promise." Ash flashed his Keyblade Master a smile.

"Ash…" Aqua stared at her student in wonder.

"Isn't that what friends are for?"

"Friends…huh?" Aqua chuckled before shaking her head and smiling at the teen. "Ash, thank you…" She paused. "…And I'm sorry for ever doubting you."

"No need to worry,"

"Well, if you're really that determined to save me and my friends then I have no choice but to up your training. Starting right now!" she said cheerfully.

Ash's only response was to let out a high-pitched whining sound.

* * *

 **Radiant Garden**

* * *

During a cool, breezy night in Radiant Garden, a silhouette in a black coat was gazing downward at Merlin's house. The figure was simply minding 'its' own business until 'it' detected 'its' uninvited guest who was glaring daggers at 'its' back from behind with his signature Keyblade, Eternal Flames in hand. "…And here I thought no one would notice." The figure slightly cranked 'its' head and glanced at the former Nobody.

The voice sounded young, indicating that it belonged to a young teen around Ash's age.

"Let's cut to the chase, shall we?" Lea narrowed his eyes at the suspicious individual and pointed his Keyblade. "Who are you and are you part of that old coot's Organization?" he demanded.

"Funny…" The figure turned and faced the former Organization XIII member, chuckling in amusement. "Weren't you part of the original group before he took over?"

"That's not the point!"

"Then what is?" the figure asked calmly.

"You were snooping around in the middle of the night!" Lea growled.

"I was merely keeping tabs on someone important that doesn't involve you."

"Well, it does now if you're targeting the kid." Lea declared with a grin.

The figure shook his head in disbelief, but that's what he expected coming from someone like Lea. "Former Nobody or not, you're still the same person I always respected."

"Wait, what?!" Lea was completely baffled.

"It's been a nice reunion, but…" The figure held up a hand straight out as a black Keyblade with a bat-like wing hilt and a black keychain attached to it materialized within his grip, surprising the former Nobody.

' _That…Keyblade…_ _'_

Slowly, the figure pointed his Keyblade at the distraught Keyblade wielder as the tip lit up for an attack. "…I cannot allow you to interfere with my plans. After all, you were never good at keeping secrets with that big fat mouth of yours." A fireball launched directly at Lea as his eyes widened.

 *****BOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM*****

* * *

 **A/N: It's Spring Break, folks! Although…I haven't done much in the past few days due to my YouTube channel, playing video games and waiting on Ni No Kuni 2 to come out this Friday for the PS4! Regardless, of all that, I will try to work on Aura Guardian of Beacon: Resurgence's next chapter. But, don't get your hopes up, it might not be posted for a while. Enjoy your Spring Break if you have one, of course!**

 **P.S. – Give the proofreading and editing credit to my beta-reader,** _Vandenbz_ **.**

 **Aoi Hyoudou** (formerly known as Johan07)


	7. UP FOR ADOPTION

Aoi Hyoudou: **I'M DONE WITH SPRING SEMESTER DUE TO LACK OF PREPARATIONS AND LECCTURING FROM MY TWO INSTRUCTORS SO I'M RETAKING A CLASS IN THE FALL WITH ANOTHER CLASS TO FINISH UP MY DEGREE. THEREFORE, I'M FREE FOR THE SUMMER BUT WON'T START WRITING UNTIL MAY.**

 **AS FOR THE CURRENT STORIES I WAS WORKING ON PRIOR...SORRY TO SAY THIS BUT I LOST MOTIVATION TO CONTINUE UPDATING SO THEY ARE UP FOR ADOPTION IF ANYONE WANTS TO CONTINUE IT IN THEIR OWN WAY, YOI HAVE MY PERMISSION TO DO SO. FOR ME, HOWEVER, I'M STARTING UP A NEW SERIES. IT HASN'T BEEN DECIDED YET WHAT THAT IS SO I'LL BE POSTING A POLL ABOUT IT LATER TOMORROW.**

 **ONCE AGAIN, SORRY FOR THE SUDDEN CANCELLATION FOR BOTH POKEHEARTS AND AURA GUARDIAN. THANK YOU FOR YOU SUPPORT.**


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